There are reports of unscientific mining in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar district, destabilising slopes, threatening villages and agriculture, and disrupting water sources in the Himalayan region. The warning for the same has been given by a government-appointed panel.
The "Geological Assessment and Recommendations For Sustainable Mining Practices in Bageshwar District" report, submitted to the National Green Tribunal on July 30, called for sweeping reforms in mining practices and stringent monitoring to mitigate the risks. The survey was done after several villages in Bageshwar reported landslides, cracks in houses, drying water sources, and crop losses. The tribunal ordered the study after locals claimed that mining in the district was ignoring environmental safety rules.
The panel, comprising experts from the Geological Survey of India, the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre, the Department of Geology and Mining and the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, examined 61 mines across Bageshwar, Kanda and Dugnakuri tehsils.
According to the report, most mines have altered natural slopes through steep vertical cuts and lack proper benches, making the terrain highly "vulnerable to landslides" and rockfalls. The team observed cracks, ground subsidence and rockslides at multiple sites.
It noted that debris from mining was often dumped haphazardly into natural streams, choking drainage channels and aggravating waterlogging and slope failures. Several leases overlap with villages, farmland and water sources, directly endangering local communities.
The committee highlighted that Bageshwar lies in seismic zone V, one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the country. Mining activities in such zones, if not regulated scientifically, could amplify ground instability.
The experts stressed that the current monitoring system is inadequate and there is "no record" of how slope modifications have evolved over time. Satellite analyses also indicated land deformation around several mines, confirming the risk of further subsidence.
The report said mining has disrupted drainage patterns, leading to "depletion and contamination" of groundwater. Springs, which are critical for local drinking water and irrigation, have dried up or diminished in flow in several affected villages.
The committee also found that reclamation efforts at mined-out areas were mostly superficial, with no measures taken to ensure long-term slope stability or ecological restoration. In its recommendations, the expert panel called for strict scientific monitoring of all mining operations in the district.
It proposed the installation of a local seismic network to track micro-earthquakes, the deployment of satellite-based SAR technology to detect ground deformation, and mandatory slope stability analysis for all existing and proposed mines.
Such analyses, it said, should be reviewed by reputed academic and research institutions to ensure accuracy. The panel urged the creation of a geo-referenced database of all lease boundaries to prevent encroachments and better track risk-prone areas.
It asked the state to reassess leases overlapping with villages, water sources or agricultural land. Aquifer mapping was recommended to understand the long-term impact of mining on groundwater reserves.
The committee was adamant about using sustainable mining methods, such as engineering techniques to stabilise slopes, controlled blasting, and appropriate drainage management. It emphasised the need for methodical waste disposal and site reclamation and stated that debris shouldn't be thrown into streams. To guarantee adherence to mining plans and environmental regulations, routine field inspections must be conducted.
The panel stressed that in-situ mining in Himalayan districts like Bageshwar should only be done with extreme caution, even though it acknowledged that riverbed mining does not threaten seismic stability if done within the allowed bounds.
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